Control device



Aug. 17, 1943. f

A. B. NEWTON CONTROL DEVICE Filed Sept. l5, 1941 Hamme coouNG ,H

MEANS MEANS Fig. 3

INVENTOR Alwin.. 2B. Nw-on...

ATTORNEY r Patented Aug. 17, 1943 ooNfmoL DEVICE vAlwin B. Newton, Minnea Minneapolis-Honeywell Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application September 15, 1941, Serial No. 410,814 20 Claims. (Cl. 20o-139) The present invention relates to a controldevice and more particularly to a snap acting control switch suitable for automatically controlling -heating and/or cooling systems.

An object of this invention is to provide a simplied single magnet snap action switch means which will perform a plurality of control functions.

A second object is to arrange a switch means as set forth in the preceding object so that the conditioning means cannot be operated simultaneously, or closely follow each other, in performing their conditioning functions.

A further object is to provide a novel snap acting switch means for controlling a plurality of conditioning means, which switch means comprises but a single magnet for rendering the same snap acting in controlling both of said conditioning means.

Another object is to provide a novel magnetic snap acting switching means wherein the magnet is located at a distance from the switches and the magnetic flux is carried to an armature adjacent said switches to obtain the snap action.

A still further object is to provide a switching means wherein the ends of a pair of thermostats carrying magnetic flux are snap actuated between a plurality ci armatures and. a damping means disposed therebetween, to perform a plurality of control functions.

The above and other objects will be either apparent or pointed out in the accompanying speciiication and claims when read in consideration of the accompanying drawing in which;

Fig. 1 is partly diagrammatic and partly a detail view of the iront of my device, together 'with heating and cooling means,

Fig. 2 is a side view looking from the thermostat of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the device, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one form of the magnetic detent.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a heating means I and a cooling means II are under the control of a condition responsive device generally indicated bythe reference character I2. The condition responsive device I2 may take the form of a thermostat, a humidostat, a pressurestat, or an effective temperature controller.

'I'he device I2 is shown as a thermostat and comprises a pair of bimetallic members I3 and I4. 'I'he members I3' and I4 are composed, at least in part, of a ferro-magnetic material, such,

the right at `magnetic material and `wire 50 suitably soldered at; its

polis, Minn., assignor to Regulator Company,

as, for example, invar. However, it will be understood that any of several ferrous materials could be used, and could comprise both metals of the bimetal if they have different coefficients of thermal expansion.

A manual adjusting mea-ns I5 for the thermostat I2 comprises an adjustment dial I6 and a cam Il carried upon a pivot I8. A spring i9 is secured at one end to an upturned ear 20 formed integrally with the at the other end to a bracket 2I pin 23. The bracket 2i secures By such structure the spring I9 at all times urges the upper end of the magnet'22 into en gagement with the adjusting cam Il.

Secured to the lower ends of the bimetallic members I3 and I4 is a bridging piece 30 formed of some suitable electrically conductive material such as brass. The bridging member Bil should be made of pivoted on a a magnet 22.

heating means Iii and a contact 33 for the cooling means II. The contacts 32 and 23 are suitably secured on brackets 3d and 35 which are in turn secured to the base of the thermostat I2. The brackets 34 and 35 are made of a ferro" are adapted to conduct magnetic` iiux which travels from the magnet 22 through the thermostatic members It and i A magnetic detent 3d, in the form of a rotatably adjustable post, is mounted at the bottom of the thermostatic element i2. The detent is liliewise made cz" a ferro-magnetic material A llexible conductor d@ is secured to the bridging member 39 and is adapted to supply current to either the heating or the cooling means from the line conductors 4I suitable source of power, not shown.

The device shown in Fig. 4 is a modication of the detent and differs from the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, in that the detent 5I in Fig. 4 is wound with an electrical conducting ends to the detent 5I. With such a construction, when the lower ends of the thermostatic members I3 and I4 snap adjacent thereto, an electrical current will be induced in the coil 0f wire 5U. This current will create magnetism in the detent 5I, thereby aiding the magnetic flux carried by the thermo casing and secured and 42 which lead to a of said element, and a stationary contact adapted to cooperate with said movable contact to open and close a circuit as said end is magnetically snap actuated.

3. A thermostat a snap action upon temperature Variations tending to warp them towards and away from said armature.

said rst armature being adapted to complete a uX path between the poles of said magnet said armatures adjacent the path of movement of said second ends of said element.

8. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic maand a rst end of to the other pole thereof, a first armature 1ocated adjacent the second ends of said elements arranged so as to bridge the space between them,

said rst amature being adapted to complete a `iux path between the poles of said magnet through said elements so that said elements will move with -a snap action upon temperature variations tending to warp them toward and away from said armature, a second armature arranged similarly as the first armature but upon the opposite side of said elements, said second armature also providing a snap actuating iiux path through said elements to said magnet, a detent of magnetic material located adjacent the ends of said elements so as to complete a ilux path through said elements, said detent being disposed between said armatures adjacent the path of movement of said second ends of said element, and a short circuited coil of electrical conducting material wound around said detent to retard said ends of said elements by electrical inductance as said ends move adjacent said detent.

'7. A thermostat of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic mato the other pole thereof, a irst armature losecond ends ofsaid elements move with a snap action upon temperature Variations tending to warp them toward and away from said armature, a second armature arranged similarly as the rst armature but upon the opposite side ci said elements, said second armature also providing a snap actuating flux path through said elements to said magnet, and a detent coinprising convolutions of Wire arranged so that ment.

8. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a irst end of one warp them towards and away from said armature, and control means operated by said snap action.

9. 'A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a first end of one element connected to one pole of said magnet and a first end of the other element connected to the other pole thereof, an armature located adjacent the seond ends of 4said elements arranged so as to bridge the space between them, said armature being adapted to complete a ux poles of said magnet through snap action, a second armature arranged simisaid armature of elongated bimetallic yof elongated bimetallicelements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a nrst end oi one element connected to one pole of said magnet and a first end of the other 'element connected to the other pole thereof, an armature located adjacent the second ends of said elements arranged so as to bridge the space between them, being adapted to complete a flux path between the poles of said magnet through said elements so thatsaid elements will move with a snap action upon temperature variations tending to warp them towards and 'away from said armature, control means operated by said snap action, a second armature arranged similarly as the iirst armature but upon the opposite side of said elements, said second armature providing a second snap actuating ux path through said elements to said magnet, control means operated by said second snap action, and a detent oi magnetic material located adjacent the ends of said elements so as to complete a ux path through said elements, said detent being disposed between said armatures adjacent the path oi movement of said second ends oi said elements and adapted to cooperate magnetically therewith.

11. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a rst endv of one element connected to one .pole of said magnet and a first end of the other element connected to the other pole thereof, and three armatures located adjacent the second ends of said elements, said armatures independently completing ux paths as said thermostats move under the variations in temperature to render said thermostat snap acting int'o and out of three positions.

12. A thermostat comprising a. magnet. a pair elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a rst end of one element connected to one pole of said magnet and a rst end of the other element connected to the other pole thereof, and a plurality of armatures located adjacent the second ends of said elements', said armatures independently completing ux paths as said thermostats move under the variations in temperature to render said thermostat snap acting into and out of a plurality of positions.

13. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a rst end of one element connected to one pole of said magnet and a rst end of the other element connected to thev other pole thereof, three armatures located adjacentthe second ends of said elements, said armatures independently completing ux paths assaid thermostats move under the variations in temperature to render said thermostat snap acting into and out of three positions, and electrical control means operated by the snap actions of said thermostats.

14. A control device comprising a magnet, an elongated member of flux carrying magnetic material with one end thereof adjacent said magnet, an armature of magnetic material located adjacent the other end of said member, said last end being warped towards and away from said armature by variations in a variable condition and movable with a snap action. because of the magnetic attraction of said end to said armature,

.second ends of said elements asesinos and damping means spaced from said armature adjacent the path of movement of said member for damping the snap action thereof.

15. A control device comprising a. magnet having rst and second poles, an elongated movable element of magnetic material connected at one of its ends to the rst of said poles, an armature of magnetic material adjacent the other end oi said element and cooperable therewith to produce a magnetic snap action, magnetic means for completing the ux path from said rst pole through said element and to said second pole, and damping means also adjacent the other end of'said element for damping the snap action thereof.

16. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic material parallelly arranged with a rst end of one element connected to'one poler of said magnet and a ilrst end of the other element connected to the other pole thereof, an armature located adjacent the second ends of said elements arranged so as to bridge -the'space between them, said armature being adapted to complete a iiux path between the poles of said magnet through said elements so that said elements will move with a snap action upon temperature variations tending to warp them towards and away from said armature, and damping means adjacent the for damping the snap action thereof.

17. A thermostat comprising a magnet, a pair of elongated bimetallic elements of magnetic materiai parallelly arranged with a first end of one element connected to one pole of said `magnet and a rst end of the other element connected to the other pole thereof, a first armature 1ocated adjacent the second ends of said elements arranged so as to bridge the space between them, said rst armature being adapted to complete a flux path between the' poles of said magnet through said elements so that said elements will move with a snap action upon temperature variations tending to warp them toward and away from said armature, a`second armature arranged similarly as the rst armature but upon the cpposite side of said elements, said second armature also providing a snap actuating flux path through said elements to said magnet, and damping means adjacent the second ends of said elements located between said armatures for damping the snap movement of said elements from both of said armatures. l

18. In a condition responsive device, means responsive to variations in the value of a condition including a magnetized member having three desired positions closely spaced to each other. one of said positions lying between the other two, three relatively fixed magnetic members cooperable with said magnetized member to hold it in each of its three positions, and means for adjusting the holding action of -that one of said magnetic members which holds said magnetized member in its intermediate position.

19. In a condition responsive device, means responsive to variations in the value of a. condition including a magnetized member having three desired positions closely spaced to each other, one of said positions lying between the other two, a pair of magnetic members cooper- 'able with said magnetized member to hold it in its extreme positions, and means cooperable with said magnetized member to restrain its moving through its intermediate position, said last means being rendered active as a result of movesaid armature back ment of said magnetized member and being inactive when said magnetized member is stationary.

20. In a. condition responsive device, means responsive -to variations in the value of a. condition including a. magnetized member having three desired positions closely spaced to each other, one of said positions lying between the other two, a. pair of magnetic members cooperable with said magnetized member to hold it in its extreme polsitions, and means cooperable with said. magnetized member to restrain its moving through its intermediate position, said last means comprising a. conductor forming a closed circuit which is cut by the lines of force of said magnetized member Whenever the same moves lthrough its intermediate position.

ALWTN B. NEWTON. 

